Vice President Mike Pence is distancing himself from the Russia scandal that has now drawn in Donald Trump Jr, saying he isn't focused on things that happened 'before he joined the campaign.'

Pence's office commented on the scandal that is now swirling around the president's closest associates, including his son, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former campaign chair Paul Manafort.

His office commented hours after Trump Jr. released a chain of emails between himself and British PR official Robert Goldstone that showed him welcoming the opportunity to meet with a Russian lawyer to discuss potentially incriminating information about Donald Trump rival Hillary Clinton.

'He was not aware of the meeting,' said Pence spokesman Marc Lotter in a statement. 'He is also not focused on stories about the campaign -- especially those pertaining to the time before he joined the campaign.'

NOT AWARE: Pence's office said the vice president was 'not aware' of Donald Trump, Jr's meeting with a Russian lawyer – which took place before he joined the Trump ticket

The email to Trump Jr offering potential dirt mentioned mentioned Russian 'government' support for his father, and was sent by Goldstone on June 3.

Donald Trump offered Pence a spot on the ticket on July 14, 2016. Pence had traveled to meet with Trump on July 1, weeks after Trump, Jr. met with the Russian lawyer on June 9.

Wrote former Joe Biden and Al Gore advisor Ron Klain on Twitter: 'I worked for two VPs -- one in a WH facing impeachment. I've never seen any statement that so distanced himself from the @POTUS.'

President Trump issued a brief statement about his son that was read at the White House press briefing.

'My son is a high quality person and I applaud his transparency,' Trump said in a a statement read from the podium by deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders at an off-camera briefing.

NOT MY PROBLEM: Pence distanced himself from Donald Trump Jr. in a statement. Pence, left, waves as he is introduced to speak at the Department of Energy in Washington as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke watches

Donald Trump Jr met with Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower last June, just two weeks after his father wrapped up the Republican nomination

In her first exclusive interview, the woman at the center of the storm - Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya - said she wasn't working for the Russian government

The June 3, 2016, email offering potential dirt, was penned by British PR exec Robert Goldstone.

It explicitly stated that the info Trump would receive was part of Russian support for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, for which Trump's eldest son was a trusted advisor and surrogate.

'This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump,' according to one of the emails, which were first obtained by the New York Times, but not published in full by the newspaper.

The email claimed that the information 'would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father.'

Former White House advisor Ron Klain remarked on the distancing

Miss Connecticut USA Erin Brady and Donald Trump look on as Russian singer Emin Agalarov speaks onstage during a news conference after Brady won the 2013 Miss USA pageant at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on June 16, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada

'I love it,' Donald Trump responded when offered information about Hillary Clinton in an email that mentioned Russian government support for his father

The claims of juicy information by way of Moscow appeared to enthrall the president's eldest son, according to the email.

'If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer,' the president's son responded, referencing the high-impact portion of the campaign when voters tend to focus on the election.

Days later, Goldstone wrote back to arrange a meeting with a Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya.

The meeting occurred on June 9 of 2016. The president's son wrote that he would be bringing 'Paul Manafort (campaign boss)' and 'my brother-in-law' – Jared Kushner. The trio represented some of the most high-powered influence within the Trump campaign.

All three reportedly attended the meeting.

Goldstone told Trump Jr in the email that the information came from 'Emin', the Russian pop singer whose career the 57-year-old British pop PR manages.

Key passage: Goldstone offered official information from a Russia 'crown prosecutor' - a British term equivalent to a United States attorney - which would incriminate Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr responded: 'I love it.'

Emin's full name is Emin Agalarov, and his father Aras Agalarov is a Russian-Azerbaijani construction and property tycoon, who had extensive dealings with the Trumps.

Goldstone sent the email when he was with Emin at an exclusive Russian venue, his social media profiles showed.

'What do you think is the best way to handle this information and would you be able to speak to Emin about it directly?' according to the email chain posted by Trump Jr.

Goldstone then offered: 'I can also send this info to your father via Rhona [Trump Snr's personal assistant], but it is ultra sensitive so wanted to send to you first.'

The Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, who Trump Jr and other Trump campaign associates met with last June, suggested they were the ones who were looking for damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

'I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that,' she told NBC News' Today show. 'It's quite possible that maybe they were looking for such information, they wanted it so badly.'

Asked if she had worked for the Russian government, she denied it. 'Nyet,' she said.